South Korea has inaugurated its first dedicated AI Humanoid Data Factory, a facility designed to collect real-world robot task data and use it to train artificial intelligence models for autonomous humanoid operations.
The new facility, established at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), was officially opened on November 3. It will collect data generated by humanoid robots performing everyday and industrial tasks, including picking up and moving objects, to develop and improve AI models.
The initiative is led by the Global TOP Strategic Research Group for Self-Growing AI Humanoids, headed by Dr Chan Hun Park, under KIMM President Seog-Hyeon Ryu. The facility was established in collaboration with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), led by President Se woong Park.
As South Korea’s first dedicated data production facility for bipedal humanoid robots, the factory can collect information on a range of movements, from individual arm and leg actions to complex full-body tasks.
12 Humanoid Robots Collect Data for AI Training
The AI Humanoid Data Factory currently operates 12 humanoid robots. Human operators remotely control these machines as they perform different activities, while their movements and task-related information are recorded for AI training.
KIMM plans to gradually increase the number of robots and expand the range of tasks used for data collection.
The collected information is used to train AI models to understand human instructions and their surroundings, with the eventual goal of enabling robots to perform tasks autonomously.
Once trained, the AI models are deployed on physical robots to evaluate their performance. Data generated during these operations is then fed back into subsequent training cycles. This repeated process is intended to improve AI models that can operate across different robot platforms, including the K-Humanoid standard platform.
Robots Demonstrate Household and Industrial Tasks
The opening ceremony on November 3 featured demonstrations of humanoid robots collecting data while performing everyday and industrial activities.
The household demonstrations included taking items out of a refrigerator, handling laundry and arranging a sofa. Industrial tasks involved operating buttons and levers inside a vehicle.
The event also showcased KAIROS, a humanoid robot developed in South Korea, performing precise object manipulation and full-body motion imitation.
Facility to Support South Korea’s Humanoid AI Development
The establishment of the factory provides South Korea with infrastructure to produce and accumulate large volumes of humanoid task data domestically. The initiative is expected to reduce dependence on overseas data and AI models while supporting the country’s technological self-reliance in humanoid AI.
KIMM plans to gradually open the facility to domestic industry, academic institutions and research organisations beginning at the end of 2027.
“Securing large volumes of high-quality robot task data is essential to national technological competitiveness, and the establishment of this Data Factory marks an important starting point for building Korea’s own robot AI training data and technological assets,” said Seog-Hyeon Ryu, President of KIMM.
“Through industry-academia-research collaboration, we will accelerate the development of Korea’s KAIROS humanoid robot and gradually open the Data Factory beginning at the end of 2027, thereby contributing to the competitiveness of Korea’s physical AI industry.”
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), which supports the initiative, plans to continue bringing together the country’s research capabilities under the K-Moonshot AI Humanoid Mission.
The mission aims to secure independent AI humanoid technologies and strengthen the competitiveness of South Korea’s domestic industry.
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